Alamo Heights ISD has identified ransomware as the cause of the multiday network outage that disrupted district operations last week.
Based in San Antonio, Alamo Heights ISD serves the communities of Alamo Heights, Terrell Hills, Olmos Park and part of North San Antonio. The district covers 9.4 square miles and enrolled 4,678 students in the 2023-24 school year.
The district first alerted families and staff on March 23 that it was dealing with technical difficulties affecting Internet access. Public reporting later said the outage disrupted Wi-Fi and Gmail across school buildings and district offices, and that the district asked visitors to delay campus visits while systems were being restored, although phone lines remained operational.
Third-party forensic specialists were working with the district’s IT team to investigate the issue and restore systems, while the district anticipated that restoration would take several days.
According to the San Antonio Express-News, the district later told staff that a ransomware attack was behind the outage. The paper also reported that technology systems were restored by Friday afternoon, that the incident had been contained and that the district had notified the FBI.
The investigation remains ongoing. The district has launched a review with external experts to determine whether any sensitive information was accessed, and district officials have not publicly said whether any ransom was paid.
Alamo Heights ISD Identifies Ransomware as Cause of Network Outage
What to Know:
- Alamo Heights ISD said ransomware caused the multiday network outage that disrupted district operations last week.
- The outage affected Wi-Fi and Gmail across the district, and outside forensic specialists assisted with the response.
- The district restored technology systems by Friday afternoon, but the review into possible data exposure is still underway.
